


Lethal Hurricane

by Varnienne



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Elemental Magic, F/M, Psychological Drama, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 20:20:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20570291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Varnienne/pseuds/Varnienne
Summary: Genevieve Dawkins had always lived a chaotic life. Her parents worked for the military, secretly investigating it until they got too close to the conspiracy behind the scenes. It cost them their lives and now their daughter is paying for it too. Now, in a similar position, she will work to uncover the military's secrets, avenge her parents, and save Amestris. But will it be enough?





	1. Chapter 1

The brunette sighed as she hung up her newly cleaned black skirt, leggings and crop top on the closet door. She was meeting with the Fuhrer tomorrow so her outfit had to be presentable. No matter what, she couldn't lose face around people like him. The brunette had learned that lesson a long time ago.

They were beings who saw themselves as superior to humans. They healed from any injury and had abilities like no other. She knew there was one who could shapeshift, but they only appeared every once in a while. Away on  _ missions _ , no doubt. 

Genevieve grumbled as she threw off her bra and slid her nightshirt on. Peeling the sheets back, she settled slowly into the bed, her muscles still sore from training solo. The ache reminded of how much worse it used to be. If her parents hadn’t ensured she knew who was running the military, the training they'd forced her to endure would have told her.

Phantom pain tingled along her arms and legs making her shiver as memories overtook her. 

_A child smiling too wickedly wide to truly be a child. His looming shadow's eyes snapped open with a smile to match. It surged forward to wrap around her, uncaring of the lacerations it caused. The child taunted her with his young voice, mocking her humanity and calling_ _her names; fragile, slow, worthless…_

_ Nothing… _

Genevieve frantically pushed those memories to the back of her mind. She didn't need them to remember her tormentor took great pleasure in causing her pain; his actions alone made it glaringly obvious. Specifically, the moments where she caught glimpses of an Ouroboros tattoo on a couple of her trainers. As a child, she couldn't curb her curiosity and asked the pseudo child what it meant. 

_ "What do you think it means, Genevieve," he smirked at her. _

_ The shadow at his feet grew until it loomed over her. So distracted by the main one, she forgot about the others. The small took advantage of that and speared through her arms, reopening old scars and making new ones. The little brunette shuddered as she took a wavering breath. It took everything she had not to make any sound of pain. Her only way to rebel against her torment.  _

_ When he stayed silent, she realized he genuinely wanted her to answer. "Y-you guys ar...aren't hum-man…?" _

_ The smile he gave her sent chills of fear down her spine. "My name is Pride. _

It was a miracle she'd somehow stayed sane in those four years. Genevieve was silently grateful they'd released her to maintain herself last year. The relief she'd felt in that moment almost brought her to her knees. If Fuhrer Bradley saw her stance waver that day, he never said anything. 

A gentle blue glow lit her eyes before she blinked it away. Back then, she would practice her magic in secret. Small things to keep it from building up after her first collapse at eleven-years-old. It was only thanks to the one contact she could openly keep - her father’s childhood friend Derek - that she was able to train herself at all. 

He and her father had kept in contact over the years despite their distance. In fact, the older man had managed to visit them a few times before her parents’ passing. Shortly after her capture, with a long while of asking and  _ pleading  _ for external contact, Genevieve was allowed to write her uncle. With supervision, of course. 

The brunette had painfully censored and lied about most of her life, but it was a small price to pay. Uncle Derek kept up with her as best as he could given the circumstances. But it was only through the books he sent on Flora's culture that she was able to learn something  _ very  _ interesting.

Her magic actually came from both sides of the family.

Flora, her father's home country, was what one would call spiritually inclined. As the name implies, they use mostly flowers and herbs in their medicine; sometimes, even stones were included. Those key elements were what made their healing practices so efficient. 

It was those very practices that'd saved her life on more than one occasion. Although, she was more inclined to stones since they were easier to find in Amestris than some of the plants she needed. Genevieve was acutely aware of just how odd that made her. Most Florans were formally inclined - especially people in her father's line. The brunette sighed and brushed those thoughts away for the time being. 

She hoped her most recent letter would reach her uncle soon. She’d sent it a few days ago so it would arrive in Flora that evening. The young brunette hoped he would be excited for her promotion to State Alchemist. It was a huge step in her plan to gain complete freedom. Uncle Derek had helped her put it together when she finally got the courage to tell him what her life was like; times like this made her glad one of the books she was gifted taught her the Floran language. He’d been one of her few support systems to stay sane in this mess she called her life. 

If she wanted to survive, it was important to show oblivity and not give herself away at any point in time. The homunculi already knew she was aware of their existence. Genevieve had no delusions they wouldn't use that against her. Especially now that she had the shot at freedom she’d been waiting for.

Finally letting her tumultuous thoughts calm down, she drifted into slumber.

~oOo~

_ "Geneva." Only one person called her by her Floran name. _

_ The little brunette turned and a warm smile brightened her face. Messy black hair and loving blue eyes so like her own were contrasted with his pale skin. He was pretty tall for a Floran man. Next to him was a shorter woman with dark skin and wild curly hair. Her brown eyes sparkled with warmth. _

_ “Mama, Daddy!” She raced over to them and hugged them tightly. They picked her up and hugged her between them. Genevieve sniffled as she hugged them tighter. “I miss you.” _

_ A warm hand rubbed her back as they carefully put her down. Her father ruffled her hair and her mother chuckled at the pout she gave them. The sadness in their eyes made tears well in hers but none of them said anything. _

_ Suddenly, she was the fifteen-year-old girl that grew up without them. They smiled sadly one last time before they disappeared. “Hold on a little bit longer, my little panther,” her mother’s voice whispered. _

_ Then her environment shifted and everything was white. There was nothing but Genevieve and emptiness. _

_ At least, until the imposing silver gate before her. Standing tall in the center of it was a juniper tree. From its branches on the left door fell stones and flower petals with Floran writings on them. A single cluster of large crystals rose from the bottom of it. On the other door were glowing violet veins that formed a panther mask and branched out to the seams of the door. This side also had sayings from her mother’s native language on it. There was another cluster of earth rising from the bottom, but this side seemed more like rock and stone lined with glowing veins. _

_ It took only a moment for her to realize this represents  _ her. 

_ ‘Right you are, little alchemist.’ Startled, Genevieve whirled around to see a white figure staring back at her. They were built like her - slim and curvy. Other than that, they looked much like the void they were standing. She wouldn’t be able to see them at all if it weren’t for the black aura around them. _

_ “Who are you?” _

_ They smirked at her, ‘I go by many names. Be it the world, the universe, God, one, or all. But, most importantly,’ it paused and pointed at her, ‘I am you, Evie.’ _

_ Genevieve frowned. Why did they call her that? She only went by ‘Genevieve’ or ‘Geneva.’ Both of which reference her being a woman of the people - a meaning she’d yet to truly live up to. Her parents always told her she would live up to her name one day. But ‘Evie’? She didn’t know what that meant.  _

_ ‘I called you here for a reason,’ they smirked knowingly. A chill raced down her spine but she said nothing. ‘It’s time for the final round of tests. Can you survive them?’ _

_ “What?” But her answer was never given. Instead, she was pulled into the gate behind her by an invisible force. It was strangely comforting as it pulled her back, gentle even. _

_ The last thing she saw was a basket of juniper berries landing in her hands. _

~oOo~

Mid-morning saw her sitting in the Fuhrer’s office. He had an envelope on his desk with her name on it. Worry flared in her chest that it was another mission but quickly settled it. If that was the case, he wouldn’t have called her to his office. He also wouldn’t be giving her a strangely genuine smile.

“Miss Dawkins,” Bradley snapped her from her thoughts and handed her the yellow envelope. She gently took it and undid the clasp keeping it closed. “I called you here to personally congratulate you.” The smile on his grew as she read the statement enclosed. Eyes widening in joy, her icy pools sparkled happily as she palmed the trademark watch and read her new title. “It seemed fitting considering your show at the exam.”

“Thank you, sir.” Glancing up at the man, she took notice of a slight quirk in his expression. It was an expression she was all too familiar with. Genevieve pocketed her watch with one curved handle and cleared her throat. “Judging by your tone, I’m guessing my title and watch are not the only reason I’m here.”

“Correct.” He handed her another envelope and folded his hands, heavy tension filling the air. She quickly opened it and skimmed through the file. At four-foot-eight, the blond thirteen-year-old was recorded as the youngest State Alchemist. Her eyes widened slightly when she read his research choice. “You will be assigned under Fullmetal because he is around your age. Protect him and report any strange happenings that occur as you work together.” She looked up at him, meeting the intensity of his gaze evenly. “Make sure you do it  _ quietly _ .”

A sly smirk pulled at her lips, making her look much like Suzanne at that moment. If only her parents could see her now. “He won’t know a thing, sir.”

“Good.” He smiled kindly once more though a strange light entered his eye when he continued. “Head to East City Headquarters and report to Colonel Mustang. He and Fullmetal should be there for the next few weeks.”

Genevieve saluted the man and walked out the door. She was about to start playing a dangerous game, but a necessary one. A dark chuckle escaped her as she descended the steps. Yes, if there was one thing she learned from her father, it was how to play such games. Her stoicism and acting skills would be pushed to their limits to pull this off.  _ So be it. _

For her survival, and most likely that of the country, she would walk further into her path of thorns.

Unbeknownst to her, a pair of slitted violet eyes watched her from the shadows. The owner smirked at her, finding her arrogance amusing. Her plotting would only lead to her downfall; they would make sure of it. The figure licked their lips as a dark glint entered their eyes. They couldn’t wait for the chance to bring the brunette to her knees. They quickly dashed away with a wicked smile on their face, just missing her preparing to attack them. 

Genevieve’s eyes narrowed. Someone had been watching her. A horrible sense of foreboding settled in her heart but she reigned it in. Perhaps she shouldn’t brush off the possibility of how much  _ they  _ know. Especially since that particular presence had been watching her quite frequently in the last few years.

Unsettled, she eased back into her cool persona and kept walking to the train station. She bought a single ticket to East City and settled into her seat. It would be a few hours before she got there. As the train left the station, Genevieve let her mind wander back to the person who was following her.

They’d been doing it for the last three years, always at the edge of her senses, gone before she could ever see them. Every. Time. That didn’t sit well with her in the slightest. Someone was watching her - probably one of her trainers \- and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it. The brunette couldn’t mention it to anyone, after all. Even if people did believe her, she wasn’t close enough to anyone for them to be genuinely concerned for her well being. It was as much her own lack of pursuing relationships as it was the role she’d been forced to play for years. 

Just knowing that there was at least one person out there who cared was comforting and heartbreaking all at once. 

About four and a half years ago, the brunette noticed a photographer occasionally following her. The photographer only ever took pictures of her though, nothing more. A little digging revealed the person who hired the man: Colonel Roy Mustang, otherwise known as the Flame Alchemist. To say she'd been surprised was an understatement. Her  _ godfather  _ was the one who hired the man? But why? She discovered soon after that they were restricted from contacting each other; they couldn’t talk to each other, write to each other, they weren’t even allowed to be in the same general area. 

So, seeing the photographer as their only chance at communicating, she took it upon herself to purposely “pose” for the boy long enough for the camera to get a clear picture. She made sure to smile occasionally. Even if they couldn't openly communicate she'd found a way to at least tell him she was okay.

That was before she learned how to alter her handwriting to match others three years prior. It was a skill that came in handy whenever she could write a letter unnoticed and send it off. The photographer was her only sign that he got those letters.

It killed her that she was always so close to home, yet so far. But if any of the homunculi had seen so much as a  _ glance  _ toward the man, she would get relocated or sent on an extended mission. For some reason, they didn't want her near the Colonel - probably so she couldn't tell him anything. So she resigned herself to communicate with him through the photojournalist and minor notes left for that person to find. The fifteen-year-old couldn’t help the strong echo of disbelief that after six long years, she could finally,  _ finally _ meet the person she'd looked for that fateful day. It was surreal, if not suspicious.

At least now she had reason to be nearby. Only those of senior status could order her from his side now. Granted, that was exactly who'd kept her away, they couldn’t move recklessly. She was in the public eye now. If she were to be stationed in East City under Mustang only to suddenly disappear, people would ask questions. And that would only cause more trouble than removing her was worth. 

But Genevieve wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. She could speculate about this sudden change later. For now, she would simply enjoy her little taste of freedom.

The brunette sighed and looked out her window, watching the buildings turn into trees and forest, internally debating a decision. The more she thought about it, the more the young orphan’s resolve strengthened. Even if it would risk her extended “leash,” Genevieve had to tell him. Somehow, she would tell Mustang what  _ really  _ happened to her parents. 

It would take time, but that was time she would make. This was her last chance to have what was so rudely taken from her. And she refused to mess it up.

~oOo~

It had been two days since the last state exam and Mustang had called Ed and Al into his office. Of course, he still had that damn smirk on his face. He was hiding something, Ed just knew it. Before either brother could ask though, there was a knock at the door. Lieutenant Hawkeye opened it with a calm, “Hello. You’re right on time.”

A girl with curly brown hair and ice-blue eyes walked in. A short, purple jacket was just open enough to show the black crop top and knee-length skirt she was wearing. Black boots rose to mid-calf exposing only a few inches of her matching leggings. She was also half a head taller than Ed and he silently seethed at this. 

But what bothered him most was the lack of expression on her face. It was completely blank; there wasn’t even a twitch of annoyance on her face. Even her eyes seemed guarded by cold indifference. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking and that made him uneasy. No one should be that stoic; that she was close to their age only made him more nervous about it.

“Edward, Alphonse, meet Major Genevieve Dawkins, the Hurricane Alchemist.” Roy gestured for her to take a seat so she settled down on the other side of Ed. As she did, the brothers realized what was going on. And Edward didn’t like it one bit. “She will be your new partner.” 

“Oh,  _ hell _ no! Al and I work just fine on our own!” The vehemence in his tone made Genevieve’s eye twitch once in irritation.  _ So he’s one of those types; stubborn and foolish enough to think he can work alone _ . Even  _ she _ wasn't stubborn enough to refuse help when a mission was  _ turning up nothing.  _ She was also a perceptive person. The shadows in Alphonse’s armor were too dark to house a human body. Not to mention, the slight echo whenever the boy moved. The telltale clink of metal limbs on the yelling blond gave away his automail.  _ And thanks to my magic, I can sense Alphonse's soulbond and the strange absence that radiates from Fullmetal. _ She knew instantly what they'd done.

Hurricane resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Your wild chase has had such  _ amazing _ results so far.” She saw her cold words cut deep and immediately regretted them at seeing the heavy weight of guilt in his eyes. Whatever happened to motivate them, Fullmetal felt responsible for.  _ He just wants to fix the mess they're in. _

Ed immediately stood, golden eyes glaring at her furiously. His fists clenched so hard his arms began to shake with effort. It would be a cold day in hell before he let a random stranger insult his choices. He already knew it was a wild goose chase, but it was all he had. “Who are you to waltz in here and judge me?”

“All I meant was,” she sighed, holding a hand up. The teen turned an icy gaze on the thirteen-year-old. “I can see the shadows in his armor,” she pointed to Al, “ and the metallic click of your right arm and left leg are just loud enough to be heard. While I may not know exactly why you’re pursuing the philosopher’s stone, I can understand the pain that would motivate you to look for it. Is it so wrong that you have someone to help in your quest?”

Al gasped despite his silent agreement. Most people knew what they were searching for, but no one ever asked why. They weren’t nearly as observant as Genevieve though. Which was good because he and his brother were terrible liars. The reason for their search was extremely controversial - especially since it could get them arrested. If she understood, that meant she wouldn’t turn them in, right? “Brother give her a chance!”

The blond ignored his brother and looked down so his bangs covered his eyes. He clenched his fists in anger as his body began to shake, barely containing his rage. How  _ dare _ this stranger just come in and claim they know everything! She had no right! “You just blurt something like that- And you say you  _ understand _ ?!”

“I do. It would be hypocritical of me to ignore your pain when I have scars of my own.” He looked at her incredulously even as the others watched apprehensively. Mustang was especially interested in what she meant by that claim. 

If Genevieve was going to get his trust, she had to show she was going to trust him too. The brunette sighed and carefully pulled her jacket off. As she wrapped the purple cover around her waist, the new alchemist watched as the blond boy glanced up at her arms in shock. Long, spiraling scars curled around her arms in a morbid design of symbols for water. There were a few simple cuts; others were wide from how deep they’d been. But the most disturbing one wrapped around her neck with obvious signs of chafing from a collar. 

When their eyes met once more, understanding passed through their gazes. For a brief second, Edward saw a storm of regret, sorrow, and despair swimming in her eyes. But it was gone before he could tell for sure. “My life hasn’t been a walk in the park either, Fullmetal.”

Throughout the entire exchange, Roy felt his heart sink at the sight of her arms. Dread fell heavily onto his shoulders when he realized just how much she’d suffered. He ran a gloved hand through his hair and looked down at his desk where an older picture of her was sitting. It was exactly what he was afraid of. 

Sighing, Roy turned to the armor on the couch, raising an eyebrow at his nervousness. Al had been mostly silent, clearly just as shocked by her forwardness. She’d only been here a few minutes and her first impression was already memorable. The blond’s anger had faded into wariness even as sympathy shone in his eyes. _ Fullmetal has every right to be suspicious _ , the colonel thought as he noticed the blond’s glare. But that was only because her quick perception had thrown them off. Whatever the higher-ups trained her for, it was definitely dangerous. 

“From their reaction, Colonel Mustang and Lieutenant Hawkeye already know about this.” Riza glanced at the young brunette with narrowed eyes. She ignored the sniper in favor of holding her left hand out to the blond boy in front of her. “I truly want to help you two, but I can only do that if you let me.”

The blonde was shocked at the maturity Genevieve showed. Despite that, the brunette’s personality suddenly struck her as odd. The new alchemist acted as though she’d seen a battlefield of hell and barely made it out alive. It only worried her more that someone so young had so many scars. They spoke of trauma and torture that even adults would have struggled with. 

Edward glanced down at her hand before looking back up into her eyes. He searched for any sign of wariness or hesitation. But all he found was anxiousness. It surprised him, but Ed decided it was enough to try. His gloved, metal hand slid into hers. 

“Alright,” he smirked at her. “Just try not to get in our way.”

The genuine smile on her face, though small, was something he’d never forget.

~oOo~

Far away in a desert town lost to despair, a selfish man smirked in dark victory. His sham of a religion was finally gaining speed, followers joining his sect every day. Soon, this town would be eating out of the palm of his hand and he would have a mindless, obedient army at his disposal. The man allowed a wicked laugh to escape him before leaving his office. 

Unbeknownst to him, a figure in the shadows smiled maliciously at his arrogance. Their puppet was finally becoming useful. Things were moving along quite nicely too. It wouldn’t be much longer before he had the power they needed to trigger bloodshed. Then this point on the array would be complete.

“Lust, I’m hungry,” the child-like being sitting next to her pouted. They had eaten a few hours ago, but their insatiable appetite was to be expected. She placed a calming hand on his head and gently pet him.

“Don’t worry Gluttony.” She sighed exasperatedly. It could be such a pain to keep him in line but he was the best tracker they had. Besides, if nothing else, she could use him instigate a conflict amongst the humans. “You’ll get to eat soon enough.”

~oOo~

Roy jumped from his seat when a knock sounded at the door of his apartment. He frowned and glanced up at his living room clock. The black clock’s hands read seven fifty-seven. The Flame Alchemist wasn’t expecting anyone and no one ever bothered him at home unless it was an emergency. 

So, after slipping his gloves on, the colonel made his way to the door and looked into the peephole. He was surprised to see Genevieve standing outside with a suitcase. Her eyes were trained on the paper in her hand.  _ Why would she be here and not a hotel? _ He decided the only way to find out was to open up and ask.

Sighing, he undid the chain and turned the knob’s lock.

“Hello, I-” she stiffened at the sight of him. “Colonel Mustang?” She glanced at the number plate reading ‘226’ by the frame. Frowning back down at the paper in her hand, she sighed and met his gaze once more. “It seems I’ve been assigned to live with you.”

“Is that so?” She nodded and gave him the paper. As he read over the document, he found that yes, she had been assigned to his place. “Strange. They only assign these places to the Officers.”

Genevieve merely shrugged and picked up her suitcase. It was a mixup she could easily have fixed in the morning. She held out a hand for the document and he looked at her curiously. “I can stay in one of the inns downtown. Edward, Alphonse, and I are leaving in a couple days anyway.”

“That won’t be necessary, Genevieve.” The colonel smiled at her. He was suspicious of it too, but he wasn’t about to pass up this opportunity to learn about his goddaughter. Roy could only thank whoever was responsible for the mixup for giving him this opportunity. He smiled down at her, “It only makes sense that you stay with me; I am your guardian, after all.”

Her head snapped up to meet his gaze. The warmth in his coals made her smile sadly at him. “Yeah, I guess you are,” she chuckled.

Mustang stepped aside to let her in and showed her where everything was. He decided his questions could wait. For now, he could get to know his goddaughter. The colonel smiled to himself. Maybe things would finally start turning around.

~oOo~

Two long years had passed since that day. Ed and Al warmed up to Genevieve pretty quickly, coming to see her as the older sister they never had. The brunette loved them just the same, her two little brothers that she had to protect from the darkness looming in the military. The only thing that became a sore subject was her past. She was still secretive about it, refusing to answer any questions they had about her scars or where she disappeared to in the mornings. 

When they noticed her writing letters in another language and asked her about it, Ed and Al were surprised she’d given them a straight answer for once. Apparently she had a family member who lived in Flora. Located west of Aguero, the country was named for its abundance of various flowers and herbs. Alchemy was practiced there, but not as much as herbalism was. The people there had learned to rely on the physical and  _ metaphysical  _ traits of the flowers that bloomed in their country.

Edward thought it was ridiculous. There was no way such a  _ mystical  _ concept could actually prove effective in medicine. Alphonse, on the other hand, was really interested. He wanted to know how the Florans determined what plants affected what and how they categorized it. Unfortunately, those studies were meant to remain a Floran secret, and Genevieve couldn’t give him the answers he wanted. 

It wasn’t until one cold December morning, when something went haywire, that she finally clued them into the foreboding feeling that had been haunting her for years.

~oOo~

There was a flash of red and yellow before a familiar voice yelped. Worried for their partner, Ed and Al raced out of their borrowed cabin. Imagine their surprise to find the snow around her melted and one of the nearby trees on fire. The few around that tree had burn marks that could only come from lightning. 

Genevieve herself was a bit worse for wear. The brunette groaned as she struggled back to her feet only to freeze when her icy eyes found them staring at her. Her hair was standing on end with a few sparks still traveling through her curls. The sleeves of her winter coat were burned up to the elbows and still steaming. Her face even had a bit of soot on it. 

The brunette sighed and closed her eyes, leaning on the nearest tree. Her breathing was a bit ragged and her legs were shaking with the effort of keeping her up. She probably exhausted from… whatever had just happened. A single blue eye fluttered open and took in their worried expressions before sighing. “If you guys help me inside, I’ll explain.”

So they did, Al helping her walk back to the cabin on shaky feet and Ed starting some hot cocoa. The three of them soon plopped onto the couch in silence. There was a heaviness in the air as the brothers waited for their sister to get comfortable and warm. After a few sips, the brunette set it onto the coffee table and sighed.

“I-" She sighed and stared regretfully into her cup. By now she'd figured out that the homunculi needed the brothers alive for some reason. That alone was incentive enough for her to train her magic. Genevieve would do anything for her precious younger brothers. And she would make sure she had everything in her being at her disposal. If that meant finding a way to merge her alchemy and her magic, she would do it.

But the young brunette couldn't tell them the whole truth. Not yet. Not when they could still be captured and forced to give information. She just couldn't take that risk. "I was practicing the other basic elements of alchemy. Though water is my main choice, I thought it would be good to learn the others."

The brothers looked at each other and frowned. It was obvious there was more to it, but they'd learned to just wait for her to tell them. The last time Edward tried to force information out of her, Genevieve shut down and avoided the subject. 

That didn't mean their curiosity was curbed. Maybe if they were more vague with their questions, they’d get better answers. "Why?"

At this, she sighed. She knew Ed and Al knew she hid things from them. It was for their own good though. They hadn’t been exposed to the homunculi or the true horrors of the stone they pursued. She’d only ever been given one and that one had  _ strongly  _ rejected her. So strongly it’d burned her. Rubbing the palm of her left hand in remembrance, the brunette shuddered. She was grateful that her magic repelled any kind of malicious entity from drawing on her.

Her icy eyes gained a fierce intensity they only ever saw when she was lost in thought. It was a hard look of someone who’d seen tragedy and walked away the only survivor - like they had all those years ago. But there was a deep remorse in it that made Edward wonder how much she was still hiding from them.

She turned those eyes on him, a strong determination entering her voice when she finally answered them. “There are things out there that will be hard to overcome and I want to be ready. I’m not entirely sure how to explain it, but something big is coming.” 

Knowing they wouldn't get anything more out of her, they dropped the subject. 

~oOo~

Unknown to Genevieve, by making her silent vow to protect Ed and Al, she’d awakened a creature hiding away in a cave surrounded by a meadow of blue-rimmed white Begonias. Its gemlike eyes fluttered open before narrowing when it realized why it was awake. 

** _‘Soon.’ _ ** The deep masculine voice echoed through the creature’s mind.

It gave a long, timbre cry, alerting the citizens of Flora’s capital city, Blathnat, that the Lunofae of the meadow cave was awake. Soon, the Dahlia festival would soon be underway. And when it came, one of the Great Prophecies would be fulfilled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally finished this! We still have a few chapters before Genevieve and Envy meet but until then, please be patient with me.


	2. Chapter 2

Just as she'd predicted, her pursuers caught up to her. Almost three weeks of successfully evading them had come to an abrupt end on a suspiciously peaceful day.

Everything was going well, nice even. When she'd awoken that morning, she felt unbelievably refreshed. The young brunette stalked around town with a smile on her face and a pep in her step. She was practically skipping, the girl was so happy. Whatever the reason for her good mood, she embraced it wholeheartedly.

Pulling out the letter she'd found a couple weeks ago, - after nabbing a few apples from the grocer's for breakfast - little Genevieve read through it again. The man she was looking for was tall - granted, to her, that was everybody - with pale skin, coal eyes, and short black hair. He was a Lieutenant Colonel and was up for promotion as of last month. Maybe I can find him today!

And thus her mission for the day started.

The ten-year-old went from building to building in the barracks, hoping to find the man her father had mentioned. Several hours of no luck later found her sulking on the roof of Building 1885*. The poor girl didn't have much to go on but it still stung to turn up nothing. Genevieve had been training her tracking skills for three years now, surely one soldier wasn't that hard to find! She even had his name! But the rooms weren't labeled by name, they were labeled by number. And her father hadn't written his friend's barracks number down. She sighed and crossed her arms, looking up at the sky in thought. There had to be a way to find him. But she had to do it without drawing too much attention to herself.

Unfortunately, a ten-year-old girl racing around the soldiers' quarters as stealthily as possible, had not gone unnoticed.

"Hey, you there!" She was startled by the sudden voice and looked over at the door to the stairs. There, standing intimidatingly furious in the doorway, was an Eastern Soldier pointing a gun at her.

Genevieve yelped and raced toward the edge of the roof. He hesitated only a moment upon seeing she was a child before chasing after her. However, the poor girl had been running around so much left her tired and slow. The soldier easily caught her by her curls. She squeaked in pain and struggled against his grip.

He leaned forward with a fierce scowl on his face. "What were you doing?"

"I was just trying to find my uncle." She clawed at his hand in her hair pitifully. The soldier tightened his grip, tearing some strands from her scalp, causing her to screech in pain. "My parents passed away last week and their will told me to look for him!"

Normally, the young brunette wouldn't have much of a problem fighting someone bigger than her. However, not only was she tired from the day, she was stressed from being on the run, which only made her more exhausted. Stress wasn't good for children - or anyone for that matter.

The soldier didn't believe her story and started to drag her down the stairs. Genevieve screeched the entire way down, gaining the attention of every hall they passed.

One soldier in particular, coal eyes watching curiously, approached the two. He asked the Joe where he was taking her. The man was surprised to hear she was a fugitive and had to be taken to Central for processing. He had nothing to say to that.

As the young girl was dragged away, a paper slipped from her bag. The man bent down to pick it up, seeing the girl's name written in cursive on the top. Vaguely recognizing the handwriting, he tucked it into his own pocket to read later.

That was a decision he would regret for the rest of his life.

~oOo~

Running a tired hand through her curls, the ten-year-old knew she would most likely be forced to serve them in secret. Now she was sitting in a cell and waiting for them to determine what they'd do to her. If the past three years were anything to go by, her options weren't looking good.

And to think her life had been so different a few months ago.

Whatever god watched over their world seemed to take pleasure in her family's misery. Years of forced servitude. Blackmail. Murdering her parents. Now practically enslaving her? They were obviously punishing her for something. What that was, she could only guess.

"Girl." Ice blue eyes glanced up at the unnamed soldier that had dragged her to Central. He sneered at her as the prison guard unlocked her cell. The first man walked in and pulled her to her feet by her hair. Genevieve hissed in pain as he continued. "It's time to serve the sentence your mother never finished."

She gulped in fear, knowing full well what he meant.

Her life meant nothing now.

~ Five Years Later ~

Large icy eyes looked up at the intimidating structure before her. Tall white columns supporting the Roman-style arches that hung at least fifteen feet above the ground. A handful of stairs stretched the entire length of the building as other soldiers filed in and out. Off-white walls were lined with the motto "For the people" in various languages of the known world - all of which she could read.

This building was the military headquarters based in Central. She had finally returned from her last mission two days ago and was staying in a nearby hotel. Today, she was here to hand in her report and meet with the person who would hopefully grant her a recommendation.

She placed nervous, sun-kissed hands on the two curved handles hidden in her lavender jacket, allowing the hum of their natural energy to calm her. Sending a silent prayer to whatever god was listening, Genevieve took a deep breath and walked up the stairs.

The click of her heeled boots seemed to echo through her ears as her godfather's confused face flashed in her mind. That was so long ago. Over the years, she'd tried to keep in contact with him in any way she could. The brunette knew her movements were always monitored so it was a struggle to send anything out undetected. It was only due to the skills she  _ reluctantly  _ gained that her letters ever went through.

Genevieve pushed her thoughts away when she finally reached the front doors. She pushed them open with a steeled heart. The young brunette hadn't been allowed through the front door before; it seemed they were adding another thing to the list of her few liberties. Once inside, the brunette did a quick glance over of the room - a wife bringing her husband lunch; one of the cadets was being sent on a coffee run; finally, the two secretaries clicking away at their typewriters - and approached the front desk.

The woman with dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes gave her a somewhat questioning look. This girl looked far too young to be someone or related to someone in the military. Despite this, she gave the usual, "Can I help you, young lady?"

"Yes, my name is Genevieve Dawkins. I'm here for my afternoon appointment."

The secretary glanced down, flipping through her notebook and found the girl's name. Her eyes widened at the text written and lifted a shaky hand to point to her right. "Do-down the hall and al-all the way up. It'll be the third door on the left."

"Thank you." The teen waved and left the stunned secretary to her thoughts.

Four flights of stairs and a short walk later brought the young brunette to a large, mahogany door with a golden knob. The nameplate set eye-level read: Fuhrer Bradley. Taking a deep breath and clutching the envelope in her hand closer, she knocked three times before hearing a voice call out to her from the other side. Genevieve carefully opened the door and walked in, ensuring it closed behind her. A mask of indifference covered her face as she turned to look at the person she had come to see.

His slicked-back hair was starting to show gray from his age. A green eye scrutinized her with a knowing gaze. There was a kind smile on his face, but the brunette knew better; knew what he was. But that would have to wait.

She saluted him, as was customary when approaching a superior officer, and waited for him to address her. Silence reigned for a tense moment before he finally spoke.

"At ease." Genevieve allowed her hand to drop and her gaze met his. "What can I do for you, Miss Dawkins?"

"I came to deliver my report, sir."

"Let's see it, then." The brunette walked forward and handed him the envelope. She stepped back a bit and waited silently as he read over the document. Everything was in order with the exception of one small detail. When he closed his eye in thought, she stiffened almost imperceptibly. Bradley turned a scrutinizing green eye on her. "According to this, there were witnesses you had to deal with."

"Unfortunately," she sighed tiredly. It had been a long week. With her target growing suspicious of her, she'd had to learn their nightly schedule and environment well enough to do her job and get out. That had led to many sleepless nights. Genevieve had grown a bit careless, neglecting the detail of their calendar marking a family visit.

His eye opened with a glare. "Did you take care of them properly?"

Flashes of a young couple shielding their teen son and screaming at her were pushed to the back of her mind. "Yes, sir. I did."

"Good." When she didn't leave at his dismissal, he curtly asked, "Is there something else you need, Major?"

"Yes, sir. I came to ask you something." Her nerves were frayed but tampered them down as far as she could. Taking a subtle breath, she continued. "You are the closest person to my family and have been watching over me since their passing. I figured now I'm old enough to pursue my dream."

The elder man before her gave a questioning look. While it was true he knew her family well, they only ever met for business. Considering his role in her life, he didn't think she would ever come to him for such a thing. His curiosity piqued, Bradley asked, "And what would that be?"

If a twelve-year-old could apply and get accepted, then surely a fifteen-year-old could do it too. But there were so many other things against her besides her age. However, in the last few months, she'd been given small liberties - staying at a hotel with her real name, traveling in more public train cars, etc.  _ If they're willing to let me out in public, maybe I can take advantage of that _ , she decided.

Reaching in her jacket, Genevieve felt for the semi-aged journal that held her research in it; it was filled with stray papers to translate what it said just this once. Shaky hands were calmed before they laid her findings on his desk. Icy blue eyes watched anxiously as he silently flipped through her work. When he stopped on one page, the brunette stood straighter, knowing exactly what had caught his attention.

"It says here you have found a way to form a torrent with nothing but a single drop." He glanced up at her expectantly.

She acknowledged his silent question. "Water has no definite volume. By using the water found in the surrounding environment, that single drop can become something more."

He nodded in understanding and the young girl internally cheered. She had been just as surprised when that accident happened. That had been a long morning of cleaning and drying her things.

The Fuhrer closed the journal and set it down, his right eye closing in thought. When he looked at her again, there was a familiar intensity to his gaze. He looked her in the eyes, seeing the rigid determination in her gaze. "You wish for me to give you a recommendation, is that it?"

Genevieve nodded. "I also thought you'd like to know the method I often used to help my mother before it was perfected into what I use now."

"I see." At this, Bradley's eye narrowed.

So this was how she'd helped Suzanne on her missions. When he'd ordered her inclusion, he hadn't thought she would be so useful. However, the results were favorable and seeing Genevieve's research solved a lot of the mystery in those cases. The Fuhrer leaned back in his chair. Reluctantly, he felt his respect for the girl to grow. She saw an opportunity to seize power for herself and was taking it.

He smiled at her. "It certainly is interesting. You have my recommendation, Ms. Dawkins."

The young alchemist gave a small smile of her own, bowing in gratitude. She internally breathed a sigh of relief at the allowance. "Thank you, sir. I won't let you down."

A few days after that, the Fuhrer had called her once again. He was quite happy to give her the papers that would allow her to take the exam. She was to take them home to fill them out and mail them in like every other applicant.

So it was with her small dinner of chicken, rice, and gravy that she whipped out a pen and started writing. Most everything was standard questions she answered for a doctor's visit. Her height, weight, allergies, etc. However, there were a few that asked about her alchemy and had her explain why she wanted to join the military. Knowing she would be asked similar questions at the interview, Genevieve answered as honestly and true to herself as she could.

However, part of her skills had to be left out. Some were unorthodox and would be seen as suspicious considering the evaluators weren't entirely composed of the senior staff. Others were the part of her heritage she kept hidden and had to practice in secret. For that and her alchemy were constantly at war with each other. Should one overpower the other, she would suffer chest pains - that were few and far between now - and possibly death by a heart attack. Not only that, but it was a power unseen and unheard of. One that could get her executed for hiding.

Or worse.

Once finished with paperwork and food, the brunette stood and stretched. Gathering her mess, she tossed her trash in the bin and washed what little dishes she used. Genevieve packed the documents back in their envelope and set it by the door. With a yawn, her jacket was hung on a chair and her boots left by the dining table. The brunette walked back to the bedroom and changed into something more comfortable - a long, navy shirt she got from her visit to Rush Valley - before climbing in bed and allowing sleep to claim her.

~oOo~

That night, in the corner of her room and sitting at the bottom of her bag, the pearl of her mother's ring began to glow. Warmth seemed to radiate from the gem as the glow grew in strength before fading. When it did, a small drop of water seemed to appear on the side of the pearl, dropping to the leather under it like a single fallen tear.

On her bed, tossing in her sleep, the teen alchemist finally settled as a similar glow fell over her eyes. The nightmare of haunting memories of people screaming and blood being splattered on anything and everything quickly turned into a dream. It was one of happier times and a country her mother told stories of when she was little; a peaceful smile appeared on her lips.

And, just like the pearl, a single tear dropped onto her pillow.

~oOo~

Mustang moved the top picture to the back of the stack of pictures in his hand. The backgrounds were for each were different; an apartment complex, the grocer's store, a park, someone's house. But the one constant in each was a fifteen-year-old girl with curly brown hair and bright blue eyes. Most of them caught her smiling at the camera. The pictures were from her most recent job. From what he could tell, it was a little blurrier than usual but no less clear. Just what he would expect from the newspaper photographer's star student.

Then he reread the most recent letter in his top right-hand drawer. The ache in his chest returned tenfold as he struggled to finish it. Again, he was reminded of all the years he could've spent being a guardian. All the good times he could've had being "Uncle Roy" wasted because of one little mistake.

He sighed in frustration, thinking himself useless for the thousandth time that week. It was hard to believe this young girl was supposed to be his goddaughter. She didn't even look her age with makeup on. A flash of a ten-year-old girl yelling for help appeared in his memory and he cringed. For years, he'd been almost crushed by the guilt of not putting his foot down and stopping that guard from taking her.

And after reading the letter she'd dropped…

He'd never been so distraught in his entire life. To discover that two of his closest friends were parents for ten years? And declared him the legal guardian of their little girl if something happened to them? All that time, the constant hinting toward having a child and asking his opinion on if they ever had one, he'd mistaken for family planning. Given that they'd only mentioned it in the last few years before their death, he was taken by surprise to see the preteen who had Suzanne's tanned skin and curly brown hair along with Kevin's piercing blue eyes and a small nose.

"Sir?" Mustang jumped at the voice of his First Lieutenant and sighed when he realized he'd been lost in thought. Riza frowned at the sadness in his eyes before glancing at the picture in his left hand. "Are you alright?"

"No, Hawkeye." His gaze followed hers back to the picture and he set it down with a sigh. "Not at all."

The sniper frowned at her friend's tone. He was doing it again; hiding his misery from her when he so clearly needed someone to talk to about it. It frustrated her to no end when he did but knew there was really no pushing it. When he was angry, Roy was as aggressive as the flames he wields.

Looking up at the calendar on the far wall, she sighed to herself upon seeing the date: November twenty-fourth. Ah, Riza set a stack of paperwork on the Colonel's desk, it's come around again. On this day every year for the last five years, Roy grieved. For what, she still didn't know. He was always so secretive about it and refused to tell anyone. Even Hughes - the man's best friend and most trusted confidante - had gotten nothing but a few words out of him.

"It's the anniversary of when I lost her." Until now, apparently.

Now that she had a face to match 'her' with, Hawkeye didn't know how to proceed. It was only then that she remembered a similar picture in her friend's wallet. It was clearly the same girl - caramel skin, curly hair, bright blue eyes - but she was younger in that picture than in the ones now on his desk. The brunette was young enough to be his daughter.

Deciding to simply bite the bullet, she asked, "Colonel, who is that?"

He looked up at her as though the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Or at least, the weight of regret. "Someone I couldn't save."

And that was it. By his curt tone, Riza knew to drop the subject. Though she had more questions than answers now, the blonde left him alone, quietly reminding him about his paperwork.

Mustang was honestly glad for the change in topic. He refused to tell anyone who this girl was and why he was so concerned. There was a reason she was kept a secret for so long. He had yet to figure out why, but - and he was quite curious when the news reached him - if the young lady being considered for a State Alchemist position was Genevieve, then his answers may be closer than he thought.

~oOo~

Ed growled in irritation as he walked down Main Street toward Central HQ. He'd just left the seventh mundane job Mustang had assigned him in the last three days! It felt like the guy was purposely holding him here. He suspected that was the real purpose for these stupid jobs. What he couldn't determine was why.

"Calm down, brother." Al placed an armored hand on the blond's shoulder and the latter released a breath. The tension in his shoulders relaxed, though only slightly. His brother seemed to be the only one to calm him in his frustrations. No wonder why either. Alphonse was probably the only one who could understand his perspective on things.

The armored soul tightened his grip a bit. "Surely Colonel Mustang has a reason for keeping you in Central."

Sighing in resignation, the young state alchemist tugged on his gloves. It was a nervous tick he'd picked up shortly after joining the military. Edward chalked it up to his fear of being discovered. Getting automail was not illegal but people would stare and ask questions. And he was a horrible liar. Ed closed his eyes and crossed his arms in distaste. "Yeah well, whatever it is, he needs to hurry up!"

The brothers were on their way to Mustang's office and Ed decided he would ask his burning question when they got there. Unfortunately, Alphonse had to stay in a separate room until the meeting was over. Again. While they understood the issue of military confidentiality, neither brother was used to that yet despite the three years they had already been doing it.

"Welcome back, Fullmetal." Said alchemist dropped onto the couch in front of his superior's desk. Looking over at the man, Ed scowled in fury. Did he always have to wear that stupid smirk? "How was patrolling the barracks?"

"Uneventful," he grumbled.

The colonel's smirk widened and Edward momentarily stilled. Just because he didn't like the guy, didn't mean he wasn't intimidating. Which reminded him of why he'd agreed to come here anyway. The constant jobs were starting to get on his nerves but the colonel wouldn't do something unless he had a good reason. He was still hesitant to ask because, as he thought before, Mustang was intimidating.

Roy's arrogant smirk turned into a questioning look as he looked at the teen. He could tell Ed wanted to ask something but didn't know how to bring it up. Two years later and the boy still couldn't keep a poker face. Sighing, he simply stated, "If you have something to ask, Fullmetal, it would be best to do it now."

Surprise shone on the teen's face before he regained his composure. Damn that Mustang and his perceptiveness. He cleared his throat.

"Why are you keeping me in Central?"

So, he finally caught on. Folding his hands, the colonel gave Ed a serious look. "There is someone interesting applying for the State Alchemist exam. Normally this wouldn't raise any flags, but judging by the form sent in, it's possible she's a child prodigy - like you."

The thirteen-year-old was shocked. Another child prodigy? That wasn't too much of a stretch, but a girl? While it was interesting, he knew there was something more to it if Mustang was bringing it up. There was a strange emotion hidden in the Colonel's eyes. Ed huffed. "I don't see what that has to do with me."

"Under other circumstances, it wouldn't. Seeing as you are the only other person in the military who is close to her age," Roy's smirk returned as he continued, "the higher-ups think you would be good partners."

Rage flooded him and Ed jumped to his feet, yelling indignantly, "What? She hasn't even passed the exam yet!"

"Even so, the Fuhrer seems to have taken a liking to her." Charcoal eyes hardened at the mention of their leader's name. That man was the reason he couldn't so much as look at Genevieve and it irked him to no end. What he wanted to know was why. After all these years, countless attempts of getting some kind of contact from her, Mustang was suspicious as to why "He was the one who recommended her to begin with."

"What?!" Everyone in his office turned to him shocked at the news. No one had ever gotten a recommendation from the Fuhrer himself. For her to ask him and not another state alchemist confused them. That she had the courage to approach the man for such a thing was either commendable or idiotic. Hell, that the Fuhrer had agreed was more shocking than that. It made them suspicious of how the two were connected. If this girl held a high enough regard for the Fuhrer to accept, she had to be something special.

There was only one way to find out.

~oOo~

As she walked into her hotel from grocery shopping, the young brunette was stopped by the hotel staff at the front desk. She'd received a letter from Central HQ.

Excitement bubbled in her chest as she hastily took the letter and her items up to her room. Once everything was put away, Genevieve prepared something for lunch and settled into the dining room. As she ate, she couldn't help but feel anxious. While her acceptance was most likely sure to happen, how others would perceive her could spell her rejection.

By going to the Fuhrer, she'd essentially given people a bold or stupid impression of herself. In all honesty, she had no choice but to go to Bradley. Her circumstances were such that if she went to anyone else, her application would've been immediately rejected. Stupid citizenship restrictions!

Genevieve sighed. Deciding to get it over with, she anxiously cut open the envelope and took out the official documents inside.

What she read brought a silly smile to her face.

~oOo~

The month after her receiving the acceptance letter was spent reviewing all the basics of alchemy. From the basic elements of nature to the complexities of her specialty, she studied day in and day out. By the day of the exam, she was ready to face its challenge. She laid a hand on the hidden curved handles before walking up the stairs and into the test room. It wouldn't be easy, but Genevieve was absolutely determined to achieve her dream; even if it was one of the last things she did!

~oOo~

Three draining hours later, found the brunette walking to her hotel room to eat dinner. The written test had been surprisingly easy but the willpower it took to stay focused hadn't been. The examiners didn't need to give her a physical because they already had that information stored on file; the most recent one dated a month and a half ago.

But that wasn't what made her nervous.

The performance portion, set for mid-morning the next day, did. She had refined her special techniques and even came up with a new one that she'd yet to try on a large scale. It was a little risky, but the brunette hoped could pull it off. It was the only way to ensure her passing. Knowing most of the judges would underestimate her gave the girl an edge.  _ But will it be enough? _

Then there was the interview. Genevieve just knew it would be irritating and nerve-wracking all at once. She groaned in frustration, plopping on the bed. After all this time, she was still annoyed by the ignorance of other people; and most military soldiers carried the nasty trait. She could handle it if it was unintentional; unless it came to certain topics, - especially if it was blatantly obvious that people choose to be ignorant - then, she often struggled against manhandling them.

The voices of her parents joking about her introverted nature echoed in her ears and she smiled sadly.

_ The young brunette was pouting in her chair after a long day at school. The teacher had scolded her many times for calling her peers stupid or idiotic. They'd made so many silly mistakes on their work though! Everything was so easy and yet she was surrounded by confused idiots. The little brunette huffed. It wasn't her fault they were too stupid to see what they did wrong. _

_ Her mother's laughter was light with amusement as her father smiled with ill-concealed amusement. "Oh, Genevieve. You'll be okay. Just remember that we're always with you." _

Comforted by the memory of her parents, the fifteen-year-old fell into a peaceful sleep.

~oOo~

Waking up the next morning, icy eyes were greeted with black clouds hanging angrily in the sky; the young brunette couldn't be happier. It seemed luck was on her side today. The rain would provide her with all the water she needed. Genevieve reached for her blades as their power flared for a moment. The warmth of her mother's calm energy washed through her, settling her frayed nerves as she dressed and made her way to the location of the test.

Looking around, the other people were groaning and complaining about the nasty weather. Despite this, many were creating large structures from the ground. Most were impressive in design but the young water alchemist knew it wouldn't be good enough to impress the judges. Few of which knew her...Good.

Taking a deep breath she pulled out the silver, sapphire-encrusted, curved handles she always carried. Murmuring a command to open in her mother's native tongue, metal extended from each end of the handles, forming her ring blades. Carved into the inner side of each ring was a nearly unnoticeable transmutation circle.

As she focused her energy on the rain beating on her face, her blades began to glow and hiss blue with alchemic lightning. The rain slowly focused on her. Once a layer of water covered her body, the brunette began to spin, rapidly gaining speed with each layer that formed. Each droplet that fell from the sky gravitated toward her, swirling with her movement until a large, warm, speeding hurricane formed. It remained in place with Genevieve at the center, eyes open and fully in control of the raging torrent. The water washed over everyone, leaving a gentle warmth on their skin.

When she heard the collective gasps and whispers around her, she began to slow down. The electricity from her blades turned from blue to humming a soft glow as her secret powers rose to the surface. Water vapor began to rise from the swirling mass, confusing all who looked on from the sidelines. The hurricane was quickly evaporating, shrinking in size as she slowed to a stop. Thankfully, her blades fell silent before anyone noticed their aura through the fog. Once the think mist cleared, the rain had calmed to a mere drizzle. Icy pools of satisfaction turned to their observers, noting with pride the amazement that shone in the eyes of most.

One whisper, in particular, made her want to jump for joy. "Looks like we've found this year's alchemist."

A chilling smirk pulled at her lips. She couldn't wait!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter down! Before I forget, this will be based on the Brotherhood anime instead of the original. Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

_The little brunette stared in horror at the sight before her, not wanting to believe her eyes._

_Their bodies lay brutally mangled on the living room floor. Her mother's hair had been burned from her head, one leg was missing and the other was too deeply cut to be of use. Both wrists had signs of being tied, rings of deep cuts making them bleed profusely._

_Her father was no better, his legs bent at odd angles and his glasses crushed into his nose. The lenses had shattered and dug into various places on his face. A large gash ran from his stomach to his thigh, bleeding heavily and pooling on the floor._

_"Run baby," came the blood strangled cry of her mother._

_"But-" She started to protest, not wanting to leave them behind. Especially like this. She had to get help, had to find a doctor. Someone who could-_

_"You will listen to us, Genevieve!" The firmness in her father's voice made her flinch. That tone was only he used on her when in trouble. But now something was different, a note of despair and urgency that wasn't there before. It became more prominent when he yelled, "Save yourself and run!"_

_Her mother continued after coughing up blood. The stain it made stood out starkly against the smooth wood of the floor. An image that would forever live with her. "Live on for us!"_

_Tears surfaced in her eyes as Genevieve nodded. Taking a calming breath, she wiped her eyes. Determination set in her features as she leaped up the stairs and started into her room. She grabbed her emergency backpack and pulled on her cloak, opening her window and jumping into the closest tree._

_As soon as she was out, the house was engulfed in red alchemic lightning, before it collapsed in on itself. Recognition flashed in her icy blue eyes, mind swirling to find the culprit before a familiar sound interrupted her thoughts._

~oOo~

Using the skills her parents taught her from birth, the ten-year-old ran through the trees, never stopping for anything except to eat and sleep. In her dreams, her guilt would manifest in the form of her parents' broken forms asking why she'd left them behind. The poor girl would wake up to tear stains on her cheeks and puffy eyes because of them. It tore at her heart and brought bouts of tears even in during the day.

~oOo~

One night, she was looking through her bag out of boredom and found an envelope addressed to her. Opening it brought fresh tears to her eyes as she discovered that, in her father's handwriting, her parents had anticipated their deaths and wanted her protected. They'd thought ahead and asked an old friend of theirs to keep an eye out for her.

She completely broke down that night.

The next morning, Genevieve decided to take her chances and head to East City. It was a long shot, but it was all she had.

Sticking to dirt paths and forested areas, the little girl snuck her way into the city. The streets there were full of places to hide and lose her pursers should they catch sight of her. Darkened alleys, sharp corners, the occasional low-hanging roof near the outskirts of the city; it was perfect. Genevieve kept to the shadows and moved around in late evening and night.

"Mother, Father," she hoped to find her safe have without getting caught, "wish me luck."

~oOo~

"Hey! Come back here!" The baker didn't stand a chance and the cloaked figure disappeared around the corner. They darted up an emergency escape ladder and raced across the roofs until there was three blocks' distance between her and the bakery. Pulling out the loaf they stole, they opened their mouth and started eating it, sifting through their bag to make sure everything was there.

A rope of three fifty-fifty chords braided together was tucked into a side pocket. The luster of silver reflected against the flint they'd used while in the forest, along with a thin ring with a pearl that used to belong to her mother, sitting at the bottom. There were a few spare headbands and hair ties zipped into the pocket closest to them, each black in color to blend in with their hair in the dark.

However, what they pulled out of the bag to reread was the most important thing. It was a letter in their father's handwriting containing a picture of the small family. Their parents had asked a good friend to look out for her. That friend used to work with them in the military and often questioned some of the orders they were given. He even had aspirations to climb the ranks and change things for the better.

But he had yet to show. The figure sighed and slumped down in their shadowed spot. They figured the military had found a way to hide their existence. Even worse, the Fuhrer had ordered her found - dead or alive - under the guise of being an escaped prisoner. The dogs probably didn't even question why they'd been ordered to pursue a ten-year-old girl who was supposedly a fugitive. It was only a matter of time before they realized where she was and catch her.

Glowing pools of ice looked out at the sunset, basking in her moment of peace and quiet. She'd been in East City for a few weeks now, trying to find the person her father had described. He hadn't written an address for fear of the letter falling into the wrong hands. While the girl understood, it put her at a huge disadvantage. Sure, she'd escaped the military before, but her parents had helped. Now, she was on her own. Youth was helpful, but her pursuers outnumbered her and some outclassed her in skill. There was only so much a ten-year-old could do - no matter how skilled or intelligent they were. She understood her limitations and knew they were being pushed too far to save her now.

The girl sighed again, finishing off her bread and curling into herself. She tugged her cloak closer to fight the chill. Winter was finally becoming spring so the nights and mornings were crisp. However, she didn't have to worry too long before the day caught up to her, dragging her into unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recently finished watching Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and decided to read some fanfiction. One thing I noticed was the lack of Envy x OC stories. So, after reading Kallypso's Lightning Strike trilogy on Fanfiction.net, I thought I would write one too. There will be some inspiration from her series as I loved it so much. (You guys should check it out!)
> 
> Anyway, tell me what you guys think!


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